Liverpool Quadrangular

7-9 December 2007

by Donna Officer

Due to extreme pressures of my teaching position, it was very doubtful as to whether I would be able to meet the commitment of organising the trip to Liverpool this year, but thankfully Mac McKenzie and Norrie and Maureen Mathie stepped in to help with booking the hotel, restaurant and bus and so the trip to Liverpool went ahead.

We sent along a team in each section U/12, U/14 and U/16 and 4 older juniors agreed to accompany the party and coach the teams. Andrew Green was responsible for assisting the U/16 group, Calum MacQueen coached the U/14 group and Amy Officer and Blair Hawthorne took on helping the U/12 team. They worked relentlessly during the weekend and their efforts were rewarded when the U/16 team won their section and the U/14 and U/12 teams came third in their respective groups.

There were a number of new faces in the squad but everyone quickly made friends and settled into social groups. It was super to see Maryann McDonald and Alice Lampard joining the Scottish Squad boosting the number of girls playing to four.

After a long but peaceful journey down in the coach (watching some newly released DVDs to ease the boredom) we booked into the Travelodge Hotel in Widnes. One older junior was put into each room along with a couple of younger players and everyone settled down for some sleep. Not a peep was heard by the ever vigilant chaperones – Norrie and Maureen and Yours Truly!!!

Saturday morning proved to be somewhat dull and dreary outside and a torrential rainstorm put paid to our planned trip to the shops so we settled everyone down to a cosy coaching session instead. The bus then transported us all to the playing venue for the start of the event.

Team captains were established for each section: Adam Bremner, Andrew McClement and Callum Dickson.

Round One saw us paired against Northern Counties and play commenced. The players settled into their games anxiously watched over by their respective coaches dressed appropriately for the occasion – the boys wore suits and ‘Hey Jimmy' hats!!!! Soon the results started rolling in – mainly from the U/12 team and things were looking bleak but a couple of wins saw them finish with a fairly respectable 2.5 point score. The u/14 and U/16 teams held out for 5 point each.

A short break for lunch and then we played Midlands. There were some pretty strong players representing the Midlands and we recognised a couple of well known international players but Scotland persevered and finished with 4.5 points in the U/16 section, 2.5 in the U/14 section and 3.5 in the U/12 group.

Play finished for the day, we travelled back to the hotel and had our evening meal. It was a happy and sociable occasion marred only by a nosebleed for one of the U/12 players. The carvery proved to be quite popular and the fact that it was an ‘eat as much as you please' buffet meant that plenty of journeys were made for refills! Callum and Andrew Green particularly enjoyed the dessert part of the meal – say no more!!! Back to the hotel and bed for everyone – we were all sufficiently tired and ready for an early night – NOT!!! Eventually though the players drifted off to sleep and by 11.30pm there was little sound emitting from the rooms allocated to the Scottish contingent.

Next morning was an early rise – well for most!!! The bus arrived at 9..00am and Norrie, Maureen and myself loaded everyone onto the bus – well almost everyone – as we discovered that certain U/16 players were not around. After a quick run up to the room of the guilty party we quickly realised that not only were they not ready, they were not even awake!! Oops! Time for one of my famous ‘I think we need to have a chat 'occasions!! Sufficiently late after chivvying the lazybones onto the bus we trooped into the hall and started the final round – against Wales .

Teams

U/16: Daniel Rocks, Clement Sreeves, Ian MacGregor, Adam Bremner, Jamie Hookham, Jonathan Edwards

U/14: Andrew McClement, Rhian Hughes, Ali Roy, Stuart MacQueen, Maryann McDonald, Peter Devenny, Shivan Murdochy, Jamie Scott, Marc Woods, Adam Shannon

U/12: Callum Dickson, Aaron Lewis, Peter Rainey, Alice Lampard, Peter Sanders, Kiron Roy, Jonathan Blake, Taylor Panton, Ben He, Connor McKay

The U/16 were determined to win this section and they had it all worked out – all they needed was 5 points but just to make sure of things they got 6. (I won't say' whitewash' here) The U/14 team scored 6.5 points and the U/12 team drew 5-5.

Final points were tallied up and the results were as follows:

	Under 16
	Team	1	2	3	4	Total	Posn
1	North	xxx	5	2.5	2.5	10	3rd
2	Wales	1	xxx	0.5	0	1.5	4th
3	Midlands	3.5	5.5	xxx	1.5	10.5	2nd
4	Scotland	3.5	6	4.5	xxx	14	1st
	Under 14
	Team	1	2	3	4	Total	Posn
1	North	xxx	5.5	4	5	14.5	2nd
2	Wales	4.5	xxx	2.5	3.5	10.5	4th
3	Midlands	6	7.5	xxx	7.5	21	1st
4	Scotland	5	6.5	2.5	xxx	14	3rd
	Under 12
	Team	1	2	3	4	Total	Posn
1	North	xxx	9.5	5	7.5	22	1st
2	Wales	0.5	xxx	2	5	7.5	4th
3	Midlands	5	8	xxx	6.5	19.5	2nd
4	Scotland	2.5	5	3.5	xxx	11	3rd

 

The U/14 team was unlucky to miss 2 nd place by half a point but the U/16 team were the clear winners in their section.

Now all that remained to be done was thank Peter Purland for organising the event, bid farewells to our opponents and start off on our long journey north back to Scotland . It was a cheery group which boarded the bus and set off. More DVDs and lots of inevitable Blitz chess and soon our little party was back on Scottish soil and looking forward to a good night's sleep. Of course there were a few players who still had homework to do when they got home but hopefully it didn't take too long!!!

Thanks go to Wales , Northern Counties and Midlands for participating in this event, Peter Purland for working tirelessly throughout the weekend to ensure the smooth running of the event and Morrison School for providing the venue.

I would like to thank Norrie and Maureen Mathie for all of their hard work both throughout the event and during the booking and planning phase. Also thanks to Mac McKenzie for dealing with the financial side in his usual calm and diligent way.

Our new batch of coaches did a sterling job and proved to be supportive and encouraging every step of the way – thank you guys (and girl). Last of all thanks to the players for the excellent company over the weekend. The event has been confirmed for 13 – 14 December 2008 and Scotland has agreed to participate again.